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Canadian Tech in 100 Words

New Venture Studio Tackles AI Brain Drain

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AXL, a new Canadian venture studio, has launched with a $15 million CAD fund to build 50 AI startups over five years, addressing Canada’s innovation-to-commercialization gap. Co-founded by Daniel Wigdor—former Meta Toronto leader and Chatham Labs founder—AXL aims to retain Canadian talent and IP.

Supported by notable investors and academic leaders, AXL’s model links University of Toronto research with corporate partners like Dillon Consulting. The studio handles prototyping to go-to-market operations, aligning AI breakthroughs with industry needs. Wigdor envisions Canada as a global AI leader, where ideas scale at home, not abroad.

Want to know more? Check out the source code on BusinessWire.

ChatGPT’s Power Use Not So Shocking After All

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Initial reports claimed ChatGPT consumed ten times more energy per query than a Google search, sparking concern over AI’s climate impact. The figure, traced to 2023 data scientist Alex de Vries, estimated 3 watt-hours per ChatGPT question versus Google’s 0.3 watt-hours, last reported in 2009. However, recent figures suggest parity.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman confirms newer ChatGPT models now use approximately 0.3 watt-hours per query, the same as Google’s old benchmark. With no updated Google figures, critics say the comparison is outdated. As AI evolves rapidly, energy claims must be reexamined.

Want to know more? Check out the source code at ZME Science.

Toronto Startup Harvest Tackles Accounts Receivable Woes

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Toronto entrepreneur Matt Himel has launched Harvest, an AI-driven accounts receivable platform designed to help Canadian small and medium-sized businesses improve collections and cash flow. The platform uses personalized, automated outreach to address overdue payments without harming customer relationships.

Backed by Simple Ventures, Harvest’s advisory board includes Wealthsimple’s Michael Katchen and Wave’s Kirk Simpson. Himel, a former lawyer, says most SMBs fail not from lack of demand, but from delayed payments. Early users report faster collections, fewer manual follow-ups, and stronger balance sheets. Harvest aims to unlock working capital trapped in unpaid invoices through real-time insights and respectful automation.

Want to know more? Check out the source code on Fintech.ca.

AI Replaces Entry Level Jobs, Grads Struggle to Start

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As AI tools like ChatGPT increasingly handle tasks once assigned to interns and junior staff, university graduates are finding it harder to break into the job market. Business consultants, recruiters, and university officials say entry-level roles—long seen as critical stepping stones—are disappearing as employers automate basic tasks.

The result is a growing barrier to career development for young workers. Statistics Canada reports youth unemployment hit 20.1% in May, up from 11.4% two years ago. Meanwhile, LinkedIn data shows global hiring for AI talent surged 30% from fall 2023 to 2024, giving tech-savvy job seekers a major advantage.

Want to know more? Check out the source code on The Logic.

Vancouver Firm Pioneers Greener Metal Recovery

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Vancouver-based pH7 Technologies reports a milestone: over 250 tonnes of end-of-life materials have been processed at its local facility, yielding more than 3,000 troy ounces of platinum-equivalent metals. The firm’s proprietary closed-loop hydrometallurgical platform—eschewing traditional smelting—operates with minimal emissions and zero liquid waste.

Founder Mohammad Doostmohammadi calls the results proof of commercial viability and environmental advantage. The system handles complex feedstocks once discarded or exported. With 1,200 tonnes annual capacity, pH7 eyes expansion to 25,000 tonnes by 2028. Talks are underway with global partners across automotive, electronics, and cleantech sectors.

Want to know more? Check out the source code on Techcouver.

AI Use Doubles in Canadian Firms: StatCan

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AI adoption among Canadian businesses has doubled year-over-year, with 12.2% of firms reporting use of the technology in the year leading to Q2 2025, according to a Statistics Canada study released Monday. The rise from 6.1% in 2024 marks a significant shift, though uptake remains concentrated in knowledge-based industries like information and culture, finance, and professional services.

Businesses most commonly employed AI for text and data analysis, with a quarter using AI agents or chatbots. While promising, experts caution Canada must accelerate broader AI integration to counter weak productivity and avoid falling behind globally.

Want to know more? Check out the source code here.

Internet Archive Canada Shields Data from U.S. Deletions

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As the Trump administration erases critical web content, Internet Archive Canada has become vital to preserving global digital heritage. With servers in Vancouver and Victoria, the nonprofit backs up U.S. and Canadian internet history, safeguarding data like NOAA climate records now under threat.

Founded in 2006, Internet Archive Canada expanded with physical servers in 2022, providing sovereign, decentralized storage. Executive director Andrea Mills oversees a team of 30, preserving everything from scientific datasets to government websites. “Lots of copies keep stuff safe,” said founder Brewster Kahle, who warned that U.S.-Canada cooperation can’t be taken for granted.

Want to know more? Check out the source code on The Logic.

Shopify Adds USDC Payments for Global Merchants

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Shopify will now allow merchants to accept USDC, a leading stablecoin, through partnerships with Coinbase and Stripe. CEO Tobi Lütke announced the update at Coinbase’s conference in New York, highlighting USDC’s growing role in digital commerce.

The feature, built on Coinbase’s Base network and integrated into Shop Pay and Shopify Payments, ensures merchants can receive local currency with no FX fees. Early access has begun, with a broader rollout planned. Stablecoins like USDC, designed for low volatility, are gaining traction in global payments. Shopify’s move reflects its continued embrace of crypto and decentralized finance in e-commerce.

Want to know more? Check out the source code on Fintech.ca.

VC Veteran Backs Startups Powering Net-Zero Future

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As decarbonization accelerates, critical minerals have become essential to national security and climate strategy. TDK Ventures President Nicolas Sauvage told CleanEnergy.ca that battery-grade lithium, cobalt, and rare earths are now “strategic infrastructure” for the net-zero economy.

Sauvage said TDK spotted early supply chain risks and backed startups like Ascend Elements and pH7 Technologies to secure domestic recovery and sustainable extraction. He emphasized that the best innovations now reshape—not just support—material supply chains. Sauvage encourages founders in this space to build for resilience, collaborate broadly, and recognize their role in reshaping how clean technologies are sourced and scaled.

Want to know more? Check out the source code on CleanEnergy.ca.

Calgary Startups Shine at Global Energy Show

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At the 2025 Global Energy Show Canada, held June 10–12 in Calgary, local firms took top honours for energy innovation. RevSolz won Disruptive Digital Innovator for its FracSol platform, while Carbonova claimed Emerging Clean Technologies and Emerging Leader for CEO Dr. Mina Zarabian.

Scovan earned Innovation in Equipment or Process Controls for HipVap, Remote Power won Powering the Future, and the University of Calgary took Excellence in Energy Research for nanomaterial breakthroughs. These awards highlight Calgary’s rising influence in clean and digital energy, reinforcing its role as a national hub for next-gen energy innovation.

Want to know more? Check out the source code on Calgary.tech.